A Pomegranate Chai Smoothie that includes 8 ounces of Pom Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice is how I recover after exercise and how I drink to good health.Disclosure: I received free samples of POM Wonderful mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by POM Wonderful and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

Your 2018 New Year’s Resolutions are in full swing, making it the perfect time to talk about something #CrazyHealthy. That something, is POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice.

What makes a juice #CrazyHealthy?

First of all, as a registered dietitian using evidence based information to focus on nutrition from a healthy aging perspective, I am excited about the potential benefits of pomegranate juice on memory and cognition.

In a preliminary 2013 UCLA study, it was found that a small group of older adults with age-related memory complaints who drank 8 ounces of pomegranate juice daily had increased verbal memory performance and functional brain activity in fMRI testing after just four weeks.

*These early scientific results on the impact of pomegranate juice on the brain have not yet been adequately studied. Further clincial research on larger populations is needed to help establish causation and to determine the long term effects of pomegranate on memory and cognition.

Including 8 ounces of pomegranate juice into my daily routine is easy because I love the slightly sweet, slightly tart taste of Pom Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice. The possibility that this juice may also be enhancing my memory and cognition makes it a win, win!

Secondly, by integrating food with physical activity, I champion practical ways to reach health and fitness goals. I am ‘juiced up’ about the potential benefits Pom Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice has as a post workout beverage.

Did you know 100% pomegranate juice is powered by unique polyphenols that early research suggests have promising results for post-workout muscle strength recovery? Certain types of polyphenol antioxidants, like those found in pomegranate juice, may help increase nitric oxide bioavailability by protecting if from breaking down in the body. Nitric oxide helps your body get the oxygen and nutrients it needs druing exercise.

*Although the research reported is promising, additional clinical research is needed to establish causation and the potential impact of pomegranate polyphenols and exercise.

Maintaining my ability to remain active as I age, is a high priority for me. It’s one of the reasons I incorporate 8 ounces of pomegrantate juice into my routine after a bout of exercise, like this Pomegranate Chai Smoothie. Talk about drinking to your health! This smoothie has unique polyphenols plus everything else you need for recovery: fluid, protein for muscle protein synthesis (24 grams), carbohydrate for glycogen replacement(52 grams) and both sodium and potassium, (100 mg and 314 mg respectively). The taste of chai spices paired with 100% Pom Wonderful Pomegranate juice will delight your taste buds. Hold on cause there’s one more thing: this drink works as both a cold refreshing beverage and also as a warm smoothie! Either way, you get the benefits of a delicious post workout beverage. Be sure to see the links at the bottom of this post for more #CrazyHealthy ideas from the Recipe Redux team!

A cranberry shrub served over ice, and topped off with sparkling water is the go to holiday beverage for those commited to health and fitness goals. If you’re like me, you make fresh cranberry sauce once a year. If there happens to be any leftover, it’s sinful to waste. Adding it to turkey sandwiches is a plus, and this year I’m expanding my cranberry inspiration by making cranberry shrubs.

My first attempt at making a shrub was three years ago when I made this strawberry mint shrub following the simple template for the beverage: one part fruit, one part sugar and one part vinegar. If you have leftover cranberry sauce after Thanksgiving, you already have the first two ingredients! All that’s necessary is the addition of vinegar (the so called star of the shrub). Now at first glance you might think this is a sugar bomb, but it absoulutely is not! You eventually strain off the cranberry sauce. I did not send this off to a lab, but my best guess is there still is a good bit of sugar remaining in the cranberry sauce (yes, I tasted it. It was vinegary, but also had some sweetness.) This cranberry shrub has some of the cranberry flavor, without a heaping amount of sugar. It’s fat free, cholesterol free, saturated fat free. Plus, there is no alcohol, which by the way , is more calorie dense (per gram) than sugar.

Cranberry Shrub

Ingredients

1 cup cranberry sauce

1 cup apple cider vinegar

ice

24 ounces sparkling water

one dozen fresh cranberries

Directions

Place cranberry sauce in a glass container. Pour vinegar overtop. Cover and refrigerate overnight. After at least eight hours, strain cranberry mixture by pouring into a container through a cheese cloth or paper filter. To make each serving, add ice to glass. Pour 2 ounces of cranberry shrub on top of ice. Finish with 6 ounces sparlking water. Garnish each glass with fresh cranberries.

Beverages with warm spices are comfort for me. It’s even more comforting being able to prepare them (and show others how to prepare them) with less sugar without compromising taste!

Disclosure: I was asked to participate in the #UseNectar sponsored campaign as a member of the Healthy Aperture Blogger Network. I was compensated for my time.

Lifestyle matters. It’s the centerpiece of my blog and it’s relevant to this month, November, designated as National Diabetes Month. Here’s a sobering fact:

29 million Americans have diabetes and another 86 million are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

THESE NUMBERS ARE ALARMING! Butpeople at high risk for type 2 diabetes can lower their risk by more than half with these lifestyle changes:

• Healthy Eating

•Physical Activity

• Weight Loss (if necessary)

•Weight Maintenance

As a registered dietitian, I’m passionate about helping others on their journey to a healthier, happier life. I encourage my clients to focus on small, sustainable change. Today, I have the pleasure of sharing information about Truvia® Nectar. With 50% fewer calories than sugar, Truvia® Nectar is a simple switch that adds honey sweetness wherever you use agave, sugar or honey. Blended with stevia leaf extract and honey, Truvia® Nectar may help with you with weight maintenance and/or weight loss, by improving your ability to manage sugar intake and reduce calories as part of a balanced diet.

Because Truvia® Nectar is twice as sweet as honey, you only need to use half as much. With 2 grams of carbohydrate per 1/2 teaspoons serving, Truvia® Nectar can be a delicious part of a balanced, carb-conscious lifestyle. Try it when you want a touch of sweetness in hot or cold beverages, on oatmeal, fresh fruit, and yogurt. I love it in my Chai Tea Latte Lite, for a sweet n’ spicy afternoon pick-up with only 48 calories. The recipe is below.